Barack Obama rumoured to visit New Zealand this week

A wealth of speculation is growing around the suspected visit of a major political figure in Queenstown this weekend.

A security detail under the alias of Operation Silver Fern will require members of the police and special tactics teams including more than a dozen reinforcements from Christchurch.

Sources have told the Otago Daily Times that the operation to protect a "very, very important person" could require twice the number of security detail used for the visit of sitting Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in February.

While there has been no confirmation of the "very important person," speculation is growing about a visit of former United States President Barack Obama.

The suspected week-long visit to the area is believed to include a round of golf which is a favourite pastime of the former commander-in-chief.

Mr Obama has spent the last month in the Pacific nation of Tahiti travelling around the Islands with wife, Michelle Obama.

In 2016, the then President expressed his desire to visit down-under and was reported to have plans to visit in the (American) summer after his presidency ended.

In 1999, former US President Bill Clinton stayed at Millbrook resort after an Apec leaders' summit in Auckland.

Central Otago has been a hotspot VIP's and famous people, Justin Bieber spent time in Arrowtown during his visit to New Zealand after sold-out concerts in March.